Average Net Price over Time for Full-Time Students at Public Four-Year Institutions

After declining from about $3,100 (in 2018 dollars) in 2007-08 to $2,100 in 2009-10, the average net price paid by full-time in-state students enrolled in public four-year institutions increased to between $3,700 and $3,800 from 2016-17 through 2018-19.

Figure 9: Average Published and Net Prices in 2018 Dollars, Full-Time In-State Undergraduate Students at Public Four-Year Institutions, 1998-99 to 2018-19

Notes & Sources

NOTES: Estimates of net price exclude military/veterans aid, which awards relatively large amounts to a small number of students. Because information on grant aid and education tax benefits for 2018-19 is not yet available, the net price for 2018-19 is estimated based on 2017-18 financial aid data.

In 2018-19, full-time in-state students at public four-year colleges must cover an average of about $14,900 in tuition and fees and room and board after grant aid and tax benefits, in addition to paying for books and supplies and other living expenses.

Between 2008-09 and 2018-19, the average published tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities increased by $2,670 (35%) in 2018 dollars. Average combined grant aid and tax benefits increased by about $1,500 (about 30%) over the decade.

The average published tuition and fee price for in-state students at public four-year institutions rose by $2,030 (27%) between 2008-09 and 2013-14. Average grant aid and tax benefits per full-time student in the sector rose by about $1,200 (25%). Over the next five years, tuition and fees rose by $640 (7%) and aid rose by about $300 (5%).

In 2015-16, 13% of full-time students at public four-year institutions were residents of other states. As reported in Table 1, out-of-state students face much higher tuition prices than in-state students. In 2015-16, full-time out-of-state students received $1,500 more grant aid per student than in-state students. (NPSAS, 2016)

About 45% of the increase in grant aid per student at public four-year colleges and universities between 2008-09 and 2018-19 came from increases in institutional grant aid.